Curiosity
by MageNellofGalla
Summary: Curiosity got the better of Alex. And now, he has to go back to Tirragen and show Alanna his non-existent lover. Funny, how questions can be like boomerangs. Alex/Alanna


Ever since she'd danced with Delia of Eldorne, she'd lost many of her friends temporarily to the flirt. She didn't like how the boys acted, either. They always had a glint in their eyes from daydreaming. It was as if the green-eyed girl had permanently embroidered their minds with thoughts of her.

She was starting to get suspicious with Alex's burning glare, piercing through her purple eyes.

The dark, slim squire eyed the boy across from him. Alan of Trebond was eating his lunch nonchalantly with Alex and Geoffrey.

He was simply curious of Alan. The boy seemed to be _immune_ to Delia of Eldorne. That ought to be impossible. Every single boy –or man –had fallen head over heels in love with the girl. Even Alex himself had almost fallen for her. Why wasn't Roger's plan working? His curiosity got the better of him and the usually quiet boy spoke up.

"Alan?" Alan looked up into Alex's dark, unreadable eyes, his teeth temporarily stopping from grinding the food he was supposed to be chewing. He nodded, figuring that it was rude to speak with your mouth full. "I've a question to ask you." He nodded again, hastily, urging him to get it over with. "Why don't you like Delia?"

The words were extremely hard to say. They sounded ridiculous coming from his lips, not to mention completely random. But they had the desired affect and Alan was contemplating Alex's statement.

She chewed slowly to buy her time to think. Why _didn't_ she like Delia? _Because she's a green-eyed flirt who aims to bed every single man at court_, she thought grudgingly, gulping down her food. But she couldn't say those words. What she said was, "Well, why don't _you?"_

Alex blinked in shock from her question. He quickly masked that and curled his lips into a smirk. "I've got someone else." He regretted saying it once it left his lips but it had been the first thing that came to mind. _Here come the endless questions about my imaginary courtship,_ he thought grimly.

Her jaw dropped,shamelessly revealing ground up food. Truth be told, Alex wasn't a bad catch. He was handsome, slim, the best swordsman she'd ever seen. She had no virtual reason to be surprised, but she was. "Really? Who?"

"You didn't answer my question," he said teasingly.

The red-headed squire rolled her eyes. "I just… don't like her. She isn't my type. I don't think I _have _a type, in fact." _And she's the same sex as me,_ she thought to herself. She went back to her immediate concern. "So? Who is it?"

Alex sighed. "And that's precisely why I keep it a secret."

"Come on, Alex," she pleaded. "It wouldn't hurt to tell us who it is. Is it Lady Cythera? Or Lady Roxanne?" She was prying, she knew. But curiosity got the better of her.

The knight had to think quickly and keep a straight face at the same time. Needless to say, it wasn't easy. What could he tell Alan that would keep his questions at bay and keep him from finding out the truth. "She lives in Tirragen. You don't know her and I'm certain that you never will."

"Then we should visit!" Geoffrey suggested excitedly, sitting on the edge of his seat. "You haven't been back since your squire days, if I'm not mistaken. What if she's found another?" The squire who'd been quiet throughout his meal was genuinely curious and shocked. He hadn't known of Alex's mistress. He was his squire! If anyone knew, it should have been him.

Alex sighed and poked at the food on his plate. He'd lost his appetite; worry filled his stomach instead. "I'd rather not," he said evasively.

"Nonsense," Alanna snapped, sticking out her chin stubbornly. "You deserve a break as much as the next knight. I'll come with you. I'd like to meet this…" She trailed off, hoping that Alex would give her a name. He didn't.

He shook his head. "Jon would never let you."

"I'll convince him. You'll see."

"Alan's right," Geoffrey peeped up. Both pairs of eyes darted towards him. "You deserve a break and we'd love to meet…" he paused, noticing that Alex hadn't mentioned a name. "your lover."

The dark knight sighed. "I'll think about it." He stood up to return his plate. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go. Geoffrey, I'll be in Roger's chambers if you require my assistance."

His squire nodded and watched Alex leave.

"Do you think he'll agree?" Alanna asked mildly.

Geoffrey shrugged. "There's no knowing what Sir Alex will do. That's how he's always been. Sneaky. Like a cat."

Alanna knew that it wasn't true. He hadn't always been that way. But she lifted her small shoulders in a dismissive shrug and turned her attention back to her lunch. "Perhaps."

* * *

Sir Alex of Tirragen sagged in a large oak chair. "What should I do?" He had just relayed his conversation with Alan and Geoffrey and was looking for advice from his onetime knight master.

Roger twirled his wizard's rod idly. "Well, you should go. You _have_ been quite a hard worker for the eight years you trained. Yet you're knighted now and for all these years, you haven't gotten the chance to be home." His voice held that musical quality that made all the girls swoon. He dressed extravagantly despite the lack of audience, with an embroidered tunic and royal blue hose.

In another corner of the room, Delia fussed over her appearance, rage evident on her pretty face. "Why aren't I his type?" she demanded of the mirror. "I'm everyone's type -even some of the _girls_ are interested in me! Anyone in the right mind absolutely _adore_ me."

"_I_ dislike you," he taunted acidly, dark eyes darting to the vain girl.

She stuck up her nose and set fiery emerald eyes on the slim knight. "_You're _not in the right mind."

Roger hushed the pair. "Silence," he snapped. "You two bicker like an old married couple."

Delia winced at the thought and went back to the mirror. Alex crossed his arms over his chest and settled back in his chair, eyes lingering momentarily on Delia as he imagined what would happen if he stole her set of face paint and dresses.

"Alex, good can come from this trip." Roger had thought the situation over and decided that if he had the chance to hit two birds with one stone, then he ought to take it. "I knew that Alan has had a very… _slippery_ secret ever since I scanned you lads for the gift. I'd like to figure it out. He poses too big a threat to be left alone. I want to know it. In two months, I expect you to have that information." Roger smiled coyly. "I know you can do it, Alex."

He nodded. "Thank you, Duke Roger."

"Very well. Good luck." He took out the chess set from under his desk along with the pieces. "White or black?"

* * *

Alanna told Jon of the events of the afternoon, practically bouncing from excitement. "And he says that I wouldn't be able to come because you wouldn't let me. Will you?"

The pair sat in Jon's chambers, Alanna on a chair and Jon on the bed. They wore the same attire: a shirt and breeches.

Jon bit his lip. Could he let his finest, and his only, squire go on a trip with Alex? What if he needed her? What if _she _needed _him?_ After a long minute of thought, he finally came to a decision. "Okay. You may go. Inform my father first. You might get in trouble if you don't get permission."

She beamed at him happily. "Thanks, Jon." She stood. "I'll go now. Thanks again."

Jon's squire walked out of the room as he pondered the situation. Could Alex and Geoffrey protect her? A part of him argued with him. _She'll be able to take care of herself! She's one of the best squires! _But another part continued to tug at him, telling him that something big would have happened by the time she got back to the palace and he had no power to stop it.

* * *

Alex went to King Roald that night to ask if he could take two squires - including one that was not his -to Tirragen. "I'll make sure that both will continue training," he reassured to king.

King Roald thought it over. After a few short moments, he nodded. "You may go. Be careful. Tortall needs its best knight."

Alex blushed faintly despite efforts to stop the redness. "I'm not the _best _knight, Your Majesty. I may be good but I am not the best."

The King smiled. "Think what you must. You are dismissed."

The knight bowed deeply and left, walking briskly. _I can't believe I'm truly doing this, _he thought to himself. _A knight shouldn't be concerned in matters like this. Satisfying a squire's curiosity, setting up fake relationships. _

Alex panicked. Who would pretend to be his mistress? He cursed himself and his tongue. Didn't he know that curiosity killed the cat?

When he got to his own rooms, he let himself fall to the bed with a thump. "What have I gotten myself into?" But it wasn't what he had gotten into that made his head ache. It was the question of how he'd dig himself out.

* * *

The day after, Alex told Alan in the practice courts that they would leave at dawn for Tirragen. "Rest up tonight," he advised gruffly before taking a sip from his water skin. "It's a one week ride there and we'll be going into hill country."

Alanna nodded vigorously, clearly excited. "I'll pack tonight."A ridiculous grin spread across her face that she couldn't wipe off.

Alex nodded in acknowledgement and said, "Very well. I'll be going now." He stood to join Roger and Geoffrey at another side of the court. He had gotten tired of Alan's company long before.

The girl squire didn't pay much attention to the duke's antics. She was much too excited. The last time she'd been near the desert had been when she was a page.

That night, she sat on her bed and packed her things. Jon stood at the doorway that attached their rooms. "You're really going, huh?" He wore a shirt and breeches which he usually stripped off when he went to bed.

She must've spotted the anxiety in his voice because she said, "I don't need to go if you don't want me to."

He shook his head, grinning. "I'll be fine. Just make sure to take care of yourself."

She snorted. "You know I will."

Jon shrugged. "Then take care of Alex and Geoffrey. Who knows what kind of trouble they'll get into."

Alanna laughed. "I'll do my best, sire."

The prince groaned. "Don't call me sire. You make me feel old."

She rolled her eyes. "Alright -Jon."

He snorted and turned to go back into his rooms. "Good night. You should get some sleep as well. You've a big day tomorrow."

"I will," she said absentmindedly. She'd returned her attention to her packs. "Good night."

Once the prince had escaped into his own room, Faithful didn't spare his words of disagreement. _You should not be going on this expedition, _he said sternly, tail flicking with anger. _There are endless possibilities as to what might happen._

"Why then, it's a good thing that Alex and I are good swordsmen, right, Faithful?" Her eyes flicked up to meet his squarely. "I'm not stupid." After a few moments, Alanna broke their staring contest. "And I'm not reckless either. I know what I'm doing."_  
_

_Don't you always say that?_ Faithful reminded her.

She blew air out of her nose haughtily. "Yes. And so?"

_And don't you know how it always ends?_ he pressed.

The squire sighed. "If you don't want to go, then don't. I will. I like the bond that Alex and I have forged up. We haven't been close friends in a long time."

Faithful studied her. She wasn't joking. _Fine, then. I won't. I'll take the post you're supposed to keep the month that you'll be away: Jonathan's protector. _

With that, he settled by the fire and curled up to sleep. _You'll be thanking me when you get there. Mithros knows how you'll want privacy._

The red-haired squire frowned at her pet. How could a cat be so frank and yet withhold so much information? _Perhaps if I can catch him awake before dawn, I can question him._

* * *

"Just set up a magical link if you need to speak with me," Roger said to Alex that night in his rooms. "I'll be in my chambers every night at the seventh bell."

Alex nodded and wiped sweaty hands on his tunic. Why was he nervous about this trip? "Of course, Duke Roger. Umm… if you don't mind, may I ask a question."

"For you? Certainly. Go ahead." He laid back in his large velvet chair and put an ankle on the opposite knee, eyes sparkling with interest.

"Well, what do you suppose he's hiding?" he asked bluntly. The knight shifted in his seat nervously.

The wizard gave a shrug. "I don't know. It's a mystery that I've been itching to discover. The lad seems to cover it up well but it's there. It's certainly there, tugging at me to squeeze it out of him." His eyes had gotten a glazed over look and he'd stopped tapping his toe. He was a peculiar thing, Alan.

He looked up again, the glimmer back in his blue eyes. "I shouldn't be keeping you. Go and rest. The ride to Tirragen is a harsh one."

Alex wanted to stay with his friend, really. Sleep was absolutely the _last_ thing on his mind. What would he find when he went snooping around Alan?

Was it an extra eyeball in that mass of copper hair? Was it a power to create food using only hands? Was it an extra leg that he concealed with magic? Was it that his eyes were actually a demonic yellow and the purple was merely a cover-up to hide that he aims to tear the ground out from under Tortall?

By the look on Alex's face, Roger guessed what he was thinking. "You'll find out when you find out," he said. "So you should get some rest, or you might not be able to make the journey at all."

That was the thing that kept him from totally backing out: curiosity. Sleep would be good for him, although he didn't feel like it.

He exhaled and stood up. "If you say so." He dismissed himself and walked to his own rooms, ideas running through his head endlessly. He dressed for bed and curled up in his sheets, forcing his body to relax, his mind to be quiet. It did no good; he couldn't sleep. _This will be a very troublesome trip, _he thought grudgingly to himself. _I just hope that it's worth it._

* * *

Alanna woke before dawn and went down to the stables, her packs in hand. She was dressed in her royal squire uniform, as required whenever she travelled without her knight master. A cloak dyed in a royal blue was on her shoulder, waving freely as she dashed down the stairs as soundlessly as she could. She cursed her black cat as she went down the stairs. He didn't give her any answers at all! He awoke for five minutes only to go back to sleep.

By the time she got down, sweat had formed on her forehead but it wasn't distracting enough for her to wipe it off. She whistled for Stefan; she couldn't leave without informing George- he'd kill her if she did and if he didn't kill her, he'd certainly kill himself for letting her go without a guard.

The squire shouldn't've been surprised when she saw that it wasn't Stefan who jumped off the roof. "George!" she exclaimed, violet eyes wide. "What are you doing here? Some people actually know what you look like, you know!"

He grinned crookedly, a twinkle in his hazel eyes. "You really didn't think that I could've let you go all the way to _Tirragen _without so much as a 'good bye'." He wore only a loose shirt, breeches, and black boots along with a plain cloak. Although she only saw one dagger hanging at his waist, she was positive that he had dozens of daggers hidden somewhere in his clothing.

"I was _going _to tell you," she said in her defense. "It was just on such short notice."

"Yes, but tellin' is different from sayin' good bye." He stepped forward so that they were an arm's length apart. "But tell me, why are you going so far away? It's a week's ride there. Then another one to get back."

"I know, that," she said irritably. "I just wanted to find out who is Alex's mistress. No harm there."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Is that all this is? Curiosity." Alanna thought about this for a moment and nodded her head. "Very well. Take care of yourself."

She was taken aback by his statement; she had expected a lecture, listing all of the reasons she shouldn't go. "So you're just going to let me go?" she asked to confirm. He nodded nonchalantly. "With Alex and Geoffrey."

He nodded again. "I'm coming with you, of course."

Alanna inhaled sharply. "You can't."

George tilted his head. "And why not?"

"You don't know Alex," she said nervously. "He's the best swordsman in the realm."

"But swords are used at close range," he reasoned. "I can throw a dagger from meters away."

The girl bit her lip. She had a reason as to why she didn't introduce Alex to George: he was too close to Roger. Yet here she was, on a trip to Alex's home fief. "Just stay out of sight," she said warningly. "You _cannot _let Alex see you. He might report you -or worse!"

"Yes, Alanna," he said mockingly. "Of course, Alanna."

She snorted. "Go ahead of us, then. Before Alex and Geoffrey come down here." She turned to Moonlight's stall; she hadn't groomed her yet.

"Alanna, wait," he said, seriousness in his voice.

The squire stopped in her tracks and turned. "Yes?"

"I'll only be escorting you to Tirragen, mind. I can't leave Court for as long as you'll be there. Marek might steal the throne if I do, and he'll have a good reason to boot." He strode closer until they were less than a foot apart. "Promise to take care of yourself," he said firmly.

There it was again. That shine in his eyes whenever he looked at her. He'd only gotten close enough for her to really notice then. "I promise," she said quietly. Why couldn't she look away?

He took a loose strand of her copper hair and tucked it behind her ear. "Good..." He looked at her with unsettling hazel eyes. They were greener than ever. "Alanna, I…" he trailed off, noting the fear and confusion in her eyes whenever he got sentimental.

She couldn't take it. The fluttering of her heart, the heat rushing to her face. "George, stop. Please."

Outside the stable door, she heard someone whistling the tune of an old song. 'The Travelling Bard', if she her memory was correct. She turned sharply and saw the door open a sliver. When she turned back to George to tell him to leave, he had already left, his plain cloak in his absence. _Thank the gods,_ she thought inwardly. Who knew what Alex would've done had he seen the King of the Thieves?

"Hello, Alan," the slim knight said nonchalantly. "Well, why don't _you_ wake up early." He had been eavesdropping right from when Alan said "You can't." He didn't know what George -whoever that was- planned on doing but he figured that he wanted to hurt him.

Alanna spun. "Yes, I always do," she said quickly, trying not to act nervous. She wasn't doing a good job; Alex caught the anxiety in the four words she uttered.

"I take it you've groomed Moonlight already?" Alex wondered aloud. He made his way to his horse, Dusk.

She shook her head and went to her mare's stall. "Not yet, I'm afraid."

"Then what have you been doing all this time?" He took a brush and ran in through Dusk's dark fur. _No, of course you haven't groomed her yet. You've been busy speaking with a man named George,_ he thought.

"I was simply talking to Moonlight. Telling her about our trip." She ran a nervous hand over the mare's head. Moonlight must've sensed her master's unease because she whickered and butted her, worried as well. "I don't think she like the desert that much but I'm sure she'll adapt."

"Is that so?" he asked coyly.

"Yes. Now, where is Geoffrey? The sun is almost up and we agreed on Dawn," she said evasively.

"He's going to bring down our packs. Not to worry."

Alanna sighed in relief. He hadn't heard any of the conversation between her and George- at least, that was how it seemed to her.

Geoffrey came down dressed in the purple and black of Tirragen, kid riding gloves on his hands and their packs on his back. "Mithros, Alex. What did you bring with you? Rocks?" That drew a laugh from everyone in the room.

The morning was broken with the crack of dawn, bathing everything with its orange glow. Silence fell as they all did their separate duties, grooming horses and saddling them.

The trio saddled up, none of them uttering anything but a few grunts. "Let's go," Alex said. The more time he'd spent at the palace, the more his 'home' became less of his home. But he had to go, if only to satisfy his curiosity. George posed a question to the knight. Who was he, and more importantly, who was he to Alan? Could he possibly be a lover?

He shook his head sharply to remove the thought. When Geoffrey asked what was wrong, he said a fly was bothering him.

After a while, Alanna realized that her company weren't the loquacious type at all. She sighed._This is going to be one long ride,_ she thought grudgingly, urging Moonlight forward.

* * *

**(A/N) Hello! I wrote this because Alex intrigued me very, very, much and I've loved him ever since. ^_^ Expect at least five chapters, maybe more if I decide to keep it at this length. Oh, and a colossal thanks to TamariChan for beta-reading in my previous beta's (hopefully temporary) absence. She's an absolutely fantastic writer. You really must read her work! :D **

**As always, reviews are welcome!**

**Warmest Regards,**

**Nell**


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